# Newcastle Local Municipality elections

The Newcastle Local Municipality council consists of sixty-seven members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Thirty-four councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in thirty-four wards, while the remaining thirty-three are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority, winning a plurality of 22 seats. As of July 2024, the party has since lost five seats in by-elections, dropping to 17 seats, with the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) earning a plurality of 23 seats.

## Results

The following table shows the composition of the council after past elections.
| Event | ACDP | ANC | DA | EFF | FF+ | IFP | NFP | Other | Total |
| 2000 election | 1 | 20 | 11 | - | - | 27 | - | 2 | 61 |
| 2006 election | 1 | 27 | 6 | - | 1 | 20 | - | 6 | 61 |
| 2011 election | 0 | 33 | 5 | - | 0 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 61 |
| 2016 election | 0 | 41 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 11 | - | 3 | 67 |
| 2021 election | - | 22 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 12 | 67 |

## December 2000 election

The following table shows the results of the 2000 election.
| Party | Party | Ward | Ward | Ward | List | List | List | Total seats |
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Total seats |
| | Inkatha Freedom Party | 20,367 | 43.95 | 22 | 20,083 | 43.27 | 5 | 27 |
| | African National Congress | 15,387 | 33.20 | 5 | 15,323 | 33.01 | 15 | 20 |
| | Democratic Alliance | 7,753 | 16.73 | 4 | 8,490 | 18.29 | 7 | 11 |
| | Azanian People's Organisation | 711 | 1.53 | 0 | 823 | 1.77 | 1 | 1 |
| | Independent candidates | 1,437 | 3.10 | 0 | | | | 0 |
| | African Christian Democratic Party | 243 | 0.52 | 0 | 655 | 1.41 | 1 | 1 |
| | Pan Africanist Congress of Azania | 260 | 0.56 | 0 | 495 | 1.07 | 1 | 1 |
| | Minority Front | 183 | 0.39 | 0 | 547 | 1.18 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 46,341 | 100.00 | 31 | 46,416 | 100.00 | 30 | 61 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 46,341 | 97.47 | | 46,416 | 97.51 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 1,202 | 2.53 | | 1,186 | 2.49 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 47,543 | 100.00 | | 47,602 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 115,803 | 41.06 | | 115,803 | 41.11 | | |

## March 2006 election

The following table shows the results of the 2006 election.
| Party | Party | Ward | Ward | Ward | List | List | List | Total seats |
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Total seats |
| | African National Congress | 24,822 | 43.71 | 21 | 25,511 | 44.90 | 6 | 27 |
| | Inkatha Freedom Party | 17,909 | 31.53 | 6 | 18,107 | 31.87 | 14 | 20 |
| | Democratic Alliance | 5,095 | 8.97 | 3 | 5,377 | 9.46 | 3 | 6 |
| | National Democratic Convention | 3,771 | 6.64 | 1 | 3,170 | 5.58 | 3 | 4 |
| | Royal Loyal Progress | 1,218 | 2.14 | 0 | 1,289 | 2.27 | 1 | 1 |
| | African Christian Democratic Party | 753 | 1.33 | 0 | 997 | 1.75 | 1 | 1 |
| | Independent candidates | 1,163 | 2.05 | 0 | | | | 0 |
| | Independent Democrats | 576 | 1.01 | 0 | 577 | 1.02 | 1 | 1 |
| | Freedom Front Plus | 459 | 0.81 | 0 | 508 | 0.89 | 1 | 1 |
| | Pan Africanist Congress of Azania | 452 | 0.80 | 0 | 506 | 0.89 | 0 | 0 |
| | Azanian People's Organisation | 374 | 0.66 | 0 | 517 | 0.91 | 0 | 0 |
| | Minority Front | 202 | 0.36 | 0 | 253 | 0.45 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 56,794 | 100.00 | 31 | 56,812 | 100.00 | 30 | 61 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 56,794 | 97.61 | | 56,812 | 97.51 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 1,391 | 2.39 | | 1,448 | 2.49 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 58,185 | 100.00 | | 58,260 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 126,693 | 45.93 | | 126,693 | 45.99 | | |

## May 2011 election

The following table shows the results of the 2011 election.
| Party | Party | Ward | Ward | Ward | List | List | List | Total seats |
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Total seats |
| | African National Congress | 45,786 | 52.22 | 28 | 47,625 | 54.31 | 5 | 33 |
| | Inkatha Freedom Party | 16,415 | 18.72 | 1 | 16,397 | 18.70 | 11 | 12 |
| | National Freedom Party | 7,802 | 8.90 | 0 | 7,313 | 8.34 | 5 | 5 |
| | Democratic Alliance | 6,466 | 7.38 | 2 | 6,992 | 7.97 | 3 | 5 |
| | Azanian People's Organisation | 3,908 | 4.46 | 0 | 3,624 | 4.13 | 3 | 3 |
| | Royal Loyal Progress | 2,046 | 2.33 | 0 | 1,878 | 2.14 | 2 | 2 |
| | Federal Congress | 1,716 | 1.96 | 0 | 1,575 | 1.80 | 1 | 1 |
| | Independent candidates | 1,105 | 1.26 | 0 | | | | 0 |
| | Freedom Front Plus | 603 | 0.69 | 0 | 408 | 0.47 | 0 | 0 |
| | Minority Front | 334 | 0.38 | 0 | 560 | 0.64 | 0 | 0 |
| | Great Kongress of South Africa | 448 | 0.51 | 0 | 350 | 0.40 | 0 | 0 |
| | Congress of the People | 312 | 0.36 | 0 | 329 | 0.38 | 0 | 0 |
| | African Christian Democratic Party | 322 | 0.37 | 0 | 310 | 0.35 | 0 | 0 |
| | United Democratic Movement | 340 | 0.39 | 0 | 261 | 0.30 | 0 | 0 |
| | South African Determined Volunteers | 68 | 0.08 | 0 | 66 | 0.08 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 87,671 | 100.00 | 31 | 87,688 | 100.00 | 30 | 61 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 87,671 | 98.10 | | 87,688 | 98.15 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 1,700 | 1.90 | | 1,655 | 1.85 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 89,371 | 100.00 | | 89,343 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 149,136 | 59.93 | | 149,136 | 59.91 | | |

## August 2016 election

The following table shows the results of the 2016 election.
| Party | Party | Ward | Ward | Ward | List | List | List | Total seats |
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Total seats |
| | African National Congress | 63,352 | 59.87 | 32 | 66,149 | 62.52 | 9 | 41 |
| | Inkatha Freedom Party | 18,210 | 17.21 | 0 | 17,298 | 16.35 | 11 | 11 |
| | Democratic Alliance | 9,587 | 9.06 | 2 | 9,993 | 9.45 | 4 | 6 |
| | Economic Freedom Fighters | 8,074 | 7.63 | 0 | 8,128 | 7.68 | 5 | 5 |
| | Royal Loyal Progress | 1,522 | 1.44 | 0 | 1,437 | 1.36 | 1 | 1 |
| | Independent candidates | 2,379 | 2.25 | 0 | | | | 0 |
| | Azanian People's Organisation | 813 | 0.77 | 0 | 801 | 0.76 | 1 | 1 |
| | People's Revolutionary Movement | 721 | 0.68 | 0 | 850 | 0.80 | 1 | 1 |
| | Freedom Front Plus | 774 | 0.73 | 0 | 764 | 0.72 | 1 | 1 |
| | African Christian Democratic Party | 376 | 0.36 | 0 | 381 | 0.36 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 105,808 | 100.00 | 34 | 105,801 | 100.00 | 33 | 67 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 105,808 | 98.28 | | 105,801 | 98.31 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 1,849 | 1.72 | | 1,821 | 1.69 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 107,657 | 100.00 | | 107,622 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 183,353 | 58.72 | | 183,353 | 58.70 | | |

### August 2016 to November 2021 by-elections

In a by-election held on 5 April 2017, a ward previously held by the ANC was won by an independent candidate. Council composition was reconfigured as seen below:
| Party | Party | Ward | PR list | Total |
| | African National Congress | 31 | 9 | 40 |
| | Inkatha Freedom Party | 0 | 11 | 11 |
| | DA | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| | Economic Freedom Fighters | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| | AZAPO | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| | VF+ | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| | Independent | 1 | – | 1 |
| | People's Revolutionary Movement | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| | Royal Loyal Progress | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 34 | 33 | 67 |

## November 2021 election

The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.
| Party | Party | Ward | Ward | Ward | List | List | List | Total seats |
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Total seats |
| | African National Congress | 25,019 | 30.84 | 21 | 25,658 | 31.76 | 1 | 22 |
| | Inkatha Freedom Party | 19,518 | 24.06 | 6 | 21,712 | 26.88 | 12 | 18 |
| | Economic Freedom Fighters | 9,746 | 12.01 | 0 | 9,775 | 12.10 | 8 | 8 |
| | Team Sugar South Africa | 8,167 | 10.07 | 2 | 8,541 | 10.57 | 5 | 7 |
| | Democratic Alliance | 6,146 | 7.58 | 4 | 6,109 | 7.56 | 1 | 5 |
| | ActionSA | 2,772 | 3.42 | 1 | 2,898 | 3.59 | 2 | 3 |
| | Independent candidates | 3,855 | 4.75 | 0 | | | | 0 |
| | Freedom Front Plus | 990 | 1.22 | 0 | 978 | 1.21 | 1 | 1 |
| | National Freedom Party | 846 | 1.04 | 0 | 966 | 1.20 | 1 | 1 |
| | Patriotic Alliance | 614 | 0.76 | 0 | 560 | 0.69 | 1 | 1 |
| | African Transformation Movement | 467 | 0.58 | 0 | 499 | 0.62 | 1 | 1 |
| | Abantu Batho Congress | 526 | 0.65 | 0 | 356 | 0.44 | 0 | 0 |
| | People's Revolutionary Movement | 442 | 0.54 | 0 | 385 | 0.48 | 0 | 0 |
| | African Freedom Revolution | 397 | 0.49 | 0 | 404 | 0.50 | 0 | 0 |
| | Royal Loyal Progress | 364 | 0.45 | 0 | 339 | 0.42 | 0 | 0 |
| | KZN Independence | 154 | 0.19 | 0 | 447 | 0.55 | 0 | 0 |
| | Al Jama-ah | 165 | 0.20 | 0 | 165 | 0.20 | 0 | 0 |
| | Azanian People's Organisation | 132 | 0.16 | 0 | 181 | 0.22 | 0 | 0 |
| | Congress of the People | 136 | 0.17 | 0 | 142 | 0.18 | 0 | 0 |
| | Community Freedom Party | 175 | 0.22 | 0 | 92 | 0.11 | 0 | 0 |
| | African People's Movement | 141 | 0.17 | 0 | 111 | 0.14 | 0 | 0 |
| | Pan Africanist Congress of Azania | 90 | 0.11 | 0 | 157 | 0.19 | 0 | 0 |
| | African Mantungwa Community | 110 | 0.14 | 0 | 130 | 0.16 | 0 | 0 |
| | African People's Convention | 105 | 0.13 | 0 | 73 | 0.09 | 0 | 0 |
| | National Democratic Convention | 30 | 0.04 | 0 | 41 | 0.05 | 0 | 0 |
| | Black First Land First | 9 | 0.01 | 0 | 37 | 0.05 | 0 | 0 |
| | Bolsheviks Party of South Africa | 1 | 0.00 | 0 | 24 | 0.03 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 81,117 | 100.00 | 34 | 80,780 | 100.00 | 33 | 67 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 81,117 | 97.90 | | 80,780 | 97.89 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 1,740 | 2.10 | | 1,741 | 2.11 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 82,857 | 100.00 | | 82,521 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 181,563 | 45.64 | | 181,563 | 45.45 | | |
The IFP took control of the municipality by entering into agreement with the DA, Team Sugar and other parties.

### By-elections from November 2021

The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period since the election in November 2021.
| Date | Ward | Party of the previous councillor | Party of the newly elected councillor |
| 15 February 2023 | 31 | Team Sugar South Africa | Team Sugar South Africa |
| 14 February 2024 | 11 | African National Congress | Inkatha Freedom Party |
| 13 March 2024 | 12 | African National Congress | Inkatha Freedom Party |
| 13 March 2024 | 19 | African National Congress | Inkatha Freedom Party |
| 13 March 2024 | 23 | African National Congress | Inkatha Freedom Party |
| 19 June 2024 | 5 | African National Congress | Democratic Alliance |
| 17 July 2024 | 28 | Team Sugar South Africa | Inkatha Freedom Party |
After the three March by-elections, and the February by-election, the IFP had won four seats from the ANC, leaving them as the largest party, while in June 2024 the DA won a seat off the ANC. The following shows the composition of the council after the July 2024 by-election:
| Party | Ward | List | Total |
| Inkatha Freedom Party | 11 | 12 | 23 |
| African National Congress | 16 | 1 | 17 |
| Economic Freedom Fighters | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| Team Sugar South Africa | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Democratic Alliance | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| ActionSA | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Freedom Front Plus | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| National Freedom Party | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Patriotic Alliance | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| African Transformation Movement | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 34 | 33 | 67 |